This invention relates generally to automatic breadmakers and, more particularly, to a household automatic breadmaker having a rapid cycle time.
Automatic breadmakers for home use are becoming increasingly popular, in part because the user is able to prepare specialty and custom loaves of bread of a type not available or not readily available at commercial outlets. Another reason for the popularity of such breadmakers is the conclusion of baking. Warm, freshly baked bread has a unique aroma and texture that adds to dining pleasure.
There are several discrete periods involved in producing bread using an automatic breadmaker. The dough ingredients (e.g., wheat flour, sugar, water, milk, yeast, shortening, salt, etc.) are first combined and then kneaded by the breadmaker for a specific time. During this time period, carbon dioxide gas emitted from yeast in the dough causes the dough to rise or expand. The dough is then permitted to rise during a first rise period. Following this first rise period, the machine kneads and "degasses" the dough, causing carbon dioxide to be released from the dough and reducing the size of the dough mass. The dough is then permitted to rise a second time. A further step of kneading/degassing is typically followed by a third, or final, dough rise period. Then the dough is baked in the breadmaker. Conventional breadmakers provide a knead time of about 20 minutes and a rise time of about 100 minutes, including a first rise period of about 35 minutes, a second rise period of about 15 minutes and a final rise period of about 50 minutes. The duration of the baking cycle is about 60 minutes. Therefore, the total cycle time typically is about 3 hours.
This relatively long cycle time is a significant shortcoming of household breadmakers. Unlike conventional baking which uses an oven to bake previously prepared bread dough, breadmakers must mix bread ingredients, knead the ingredients into dough, and provide periods of inactivity to allow the dough to rise prior to baking the dough. Consequently, planning is required on the part of the user because the breadmaking process must be initiated three hours or more prior to the time at which the bread will be served. Thus, to prepare fresh baked bread for breakfast, such as at 6 A.M., the breadmaking process must be started around 3 A.M. Although some breadmakers include a timer that allows delayed starting of a breadmaking process, the maximum delayed start provided by such timers is typically only about twelve hours. Moreover, the bread ingredients, such as flour, water and yeast, etc., must be prepared the evening before and left in the machine overnight. It is well known that the yeast must be kept separated from the water until the bread producing process is started. One reason is that the rise time may be affected by the biological activity of the yeast or the amount of yeast used. In addition, exposing the bread ingredients to hot and cold temperature conditions overnight, especially during summer and winter months, can affect the quality of the bread produced from these ingredients. A further consideration is that noise associated with the kneading operations of known household breadmakers can be disturbing, especially during early morning hours.
Some known breadmakers allow dough preheating. However, such preheating is provided prior to the start of the breadmaking operation of conventional breadmakers, thus lengthening the total cycle beyond the normal three hour period. Moreover, in known breadmakers which provide a preheat cycle, the preheat temperature is 28.degree. C. or less.
Thus, known automatic breadmakers are characterized by a relatively long cycle time. An improved method of operation for a breadmaker providing a shorter cycle time while producing attractive, soft and delicious bread, would be an important advance in the art.